Birthdays are celebrated in a variety of different ways - from party extravaganzas to chilled nights on the sofa. One family-orientated woman was keen to spend her special day alongside her husband and children without any fuss, but unfortunately, not all went to plan.
The mum didn't ask for presents for her 28th birthday - she simply asked for 'help with the kids, 'the house cleaned', a nap, and supper at home. However, she says her partner failed to keep up his promise and refused to help with child care.
The woman explained: "Today is my 28th birthday, I am really into birthdays and holidays and believe in celebrating them to the max, and this is well known to everyone."
She went on: "I'm also the planner and the giver in not only my family (husband and kids) but my extended family (parents, siblings, friends, etc), so I'm the one that plans birthday get-togethers, gifts, travel, etc. I'm also a stay-at-home mum due to having a son with complex medical and behavioural needs."
Taking to popular forum Reddit, she explained that her son is 'extremely clingy' and has 'behavioural problems' due to his complex needs.
The woman continued: "My husband's birthday was last month and as usual, I planned something for him. Weekend in a town a couple of hours away for us and our kids.
"For my birthday I tell him I just want help with the kids, the house cleaned, a nap, and him to cook supper or take me out. Maybe a homemade gift from the kids and a cake.
"Yesterday, my husband starts complaining of a sore throat. I check his throat and looks fine. No fever or other symptoms. He stays up all night playing video games.
"This morning he says he is sick but has no visible symptoms. No fever, no cough, no runny nose, doesn't sound like someone with a cold. He says his throat hurts but spent an hour on Xbox live talking just fine.
"He naps all day because he says he's sick, I think it's because he stayed up until 4 a.m. playing video games. Meanwhile, I make my own cake, take care of the kids as usual, and do my usual chores. He didn't even tell me happy birthday.
"Finally I decided to take the cake I made with the kids to my parents house to have supper there so I didn't have to cook. I'm pretty crabby at this point and don't say a word before we leave. He calls and asks why we left. I tell him because he ruined my birthday yet again and I'm trying to salvage it at least a little and hung up.
"He called back and said I was overreacting. He's sick and I'm an adult, birthdays aren't a big deal anymore after 21."
Seeking advice, she questioned: "So am I the a**hole for wanting one day to be the receiver instead of the giver? To celebrate myself?"
Since sharing, the woman's post has raked in over 1,300 comments to date - with several people assuring that the woman wasn't being unreasonable.
One person wrote: "Not the a**hole, he sounds inconsiderate and like he doesn't even like you."
Meanwhile, a second said: "Don't do s*** for his birthday lol. I wouldn't after this. Bro really couldn't even be bothered to tell you happy birthday."
"And when he asked why no birthday fuss, OP can throw his words right back at him to grow up because after 21 birthdays don't matter," a different user replied.
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